How do they do that?

July 28, 1999

Glossy design magazines often feature a few decorator tricks. Have you ever wondered how to achieve a grouping of framed pictures on a wall, without an extra pair of hands? The new book "Metropolitan Home: American Style" (Clarson Potter, 1999) offers tips on how to achieve that look and others.

*Begin on the floor. Lay out pictures with equal distances between them.

*Anchor the corners of your overall design first, splitting up pairs of pictures to balance the top or bottom.

*Next, focus on the middle, where your eyes fall. Try something small with a wide mat or one large picture.

*Mix watercolors, drawings, and prints that are similar in tone.

*To hang, transfer the perimeter measurements to the wall.

Source: Metropolitan

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